Publicity push as health
law’s court date nears

WASHINGTON — Republicans on Capitol Hill have put together a highly coordinated two-week renewed assault on the health care law, seizing on the legislation’s second anniversary and the next week’s oral arguments before the Supreme Court concerning its constitutionality.

On Monday, congressional Republicans took to the floor of both chambers to denounce the law, presaging a vote in the House this week to dismantle the law’s payment advisory board, the 26th legislative attack on the law in the Republican-controlled House in the 112th Congress.

Daily news conferences are planned on the Hill next week, featuring state attorneys general, lawmakers who are physicians and others.

Republican members are also holding sessions on Twitter, making videos and scheduling television interviews day and night, with one veteran lawmaker, Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri, appearing on Fox News on Monday.

On the Senate floor Monday, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin said, “The reason I ran for the United States Senate was primarily because of this law.” Outside groups like the National Federation of Independent Business and Americans for Tax Reform are joining the efforts. Roughly 50 events are planned this week alone by party leaders and members.

Republicans are hoping to influence election-year public opinion on an issue where they believe they have a substantive advantage, and to drag the conversation away from areas like access to contraception that have dominated the campaign or divided members in recent weeks, with less success for their party.